Jazz or Precision for old disco 'n funk?

Which would best for 70s disco and funk: the Fender Jazz or Precision? it's subjective I know, but I'd still like your opinions. what did the bassists of these genres use back then? I've always loved the tone of Bernard Edwards.

I'm limiting my choices to these two because I won a local contest and I have to choose between these models they're both beautiful, Custom Shop models, stripped down vintage style (passive electronics, etc.)

In the 70's they both were used in that style of music. I did a little searching and the only two pics I could find of Bernard was of him holding a non-fender bass but with a p-bass pick up configuration and on the cover of Chic, Live at the Budokan. He is holding a Music Man.

I think if you search this forum with "Jazz vs. precision" you will find a lot of information. This topic has been covered allot.

'Yeah, Bernard was a friend of mine. We would run into each other in studios, in the street. He would give me advice about a lot of things. He told me not to move to LA (I didn't listen
I remember, around 1978, I saw Bernard on a Chic album cover with a BC Rich bass. It was white with this unusally shaped body. Anyway, the song "Good Times" was on this album and I thought it sounded so good, I ran out and bought a white BC Rich.
I got it home and started playing Good Times...I'm saying to myself, "This don't sound like the record........."
I met Bernard shortly after and told him I bought the BC Rich but couldn't get that cool sound. He said, "Man I didn't play a BC Rich on that album. I played my Fender Precision!" I said, "But you have the BC Rich on the album cover." He said, "Yeah, well the BC Rich looks good, so I take pictures with it!"
God rest his soul......'

The stuff on the first Chic album is a P-bass. I think that my Real People ("Rebels Are We") he was using a Stingray. I saw him live in 1980 and I think he was playing that B.C. Rich. I could have seen him in 1978 but I didn't know enough to care . I did hear Chic in the distance while I was at Six Flags though.

Although I'm not a fan of Fender basses and even less of the Precision Bass, I must admit that the real Precision tone can't be achieved by any other instrument, not even by soloing the neck pickup, which is a way to recreate it. That Precision sound is so prominent in most of my favorite 70's funk-disco recordings. I'm posting a great example which maybe most of you know, but just in case... "Yo-Yo", performed by Rose Royce and taken from the "Car Wash" OST LP (Not a downloaded mp3 or a CD rip. I transferred to digital from the original vinyl). The whole LP is a Fender Precision Bass fest played by Lequeint "Duke" Jobe. Click here to download it. (YouSendIt link)

both basses were used on a lot of those records. i usually reach for a jazz, but a p with roundwounds will sound great on almost any r&b and disco type gig. old, pre-ernie ball music man basses also sound very "fender-ish" and were popular. I normally don't dig the music man sound, but old ones are a different story.

If I were just choosing which bass to play, I would definitely go with the Precision. But if it's true that you won one of these basses and you are getting it for free, then go with the Jazz because it's worth more.

I was going to lean more toward the P, but since it's a free bass from a contest, take the J.

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zombywoof5050 said:

if it's true that you won one of these basses and you are getting it for free, then go with the Jazz because it's worth more.

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+3. My point is, the Precision tone may be distinctive, but I like versatile basses and the P isn't. Again, you can approximate the P tone by soloing the J's neck pickup and get other cool and growly tones with the bridge pickup. IMO, you'll be the happy owner of a more versatile (and sexier) bass if you go with the J.

They're vintage models to choose from? Take the J all the way if that's the case. Yes, the P has "that tone," but it can be gotten close enough to with the J, and don't forget what your amp & FX might have to say about your sound too.